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February 24th, 2012, 08:06 GMT · By

Community Manager Says Fans Need to Limit Diablo III Expectations

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Diablo III is going through some major re-design during its closed beta stage, but at least one Blizzard representative believes that gamers need to manage their own expectation about the game in order to avoid a major disappointment when the title is finally out.

Speaking on the official forums for Diablo III Bashiok, who is one of the community managers at Blizzard, has stated, “I too worry that we won’t be able to meet the expectations people have built up for themselves. Part of my job is managing people’s expectations, so, eh, stop it. Stop thinking about how awesome this game could be.”

The Blizzard representative then went on a movie-related tangent, saying that creating Diablo III was like M. Night Shyamalan making “the sequel to The Village or The Happening,” adding “So just like, lower those expectations, but still definitely buy the game please, and everything will be just fine.”

Blizzard has recently announced how the rune system has been remade, with the extra abilities for items now tied to the actual level and skill of the player, and this is just one of the changes that have been made since the beginning of the year.

The development team has also changed the core character attributes, simplified the skill system and eliminated some of the camp followers, saying that all the changes were designed to make the Diablo III experience simpler to understand.

A limited number of players are now involved in the closed beta stage and Blizzard has not yet said whether it plans to open it up to the general public.

Initially, fans thought that Diablo III would be launched in the fall of 2011, but Blizzard has since pushed it back into 2012, although it seems that it will miss the spring launch season and will arrive at some point during the second quarter.


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READER COMMENTS:


Comment #1 by: Eric on 24 Feb 2012, 20:23 UTC reply to this comment

Right...blame us for making a crappy game...sure, that's fair...Obviously our expectations were "too high". Maybe this idiot should talk to the people in Blizzard/Activision's marketing department. How can they seriously say "lower your expectations" when at the same time you know the company will use every trick of advertising it can to present it as the best game ever that you just have to buy...? I would be fine with this statement if they promise to never run any deceptive ads presenting the game as better than it is. Hah!

I'm sick of game makers thinking they are doing me some sort of a service by taking my $50 or $60...we have every right to expect a good product and to blame Blizzard if they deliver a bad one...it's our money...

Let's not forget this is the third installment of a series. Asking people not to Judge Diablo 3 based on Diablo 1 or 2 is like saying the new Star Wars movies should count separately and not be compared against the originals...and again, we know Bliz is full of it, because they won't stop their marketing machine, which is designed to build unrealistic expectations!

Based on this it sounds like this game is going to suck...


Comment #2 by: Fantastic Terrible on 25 Feb 2012, 15:59 UTC reply to this comment

sounds exactly like dumbing it down for consoles! hurray for (corporate) idiots


Comment #3 by: timesup on 22 Mar 2012, 07:41 UTC reply to this comment

I am in the Diablo III beta, it's going to be a very good game.

It's not for everyone but if you like D1/D2, Fate, Torchlight, Titan Quest, Sacred 1/2, you will love Diablo III; hack and slash genre's finest game to date.

I am no fanboy of Blizzard, either and this has been one long wait.

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